villagers near map ta phut demand clean-up

Rayong residents have demanded that the government and local authorities clean up polluted air and wastewater in residential areas surrounding Map Ta Phut industrial zone.

This has become a top priority since the National Environment Board (NEB) on March 16 decided not to appeal the Administrative Court's ruling to designate the heavily-industrialised zone of Map Ta Phut as a pollution-control area.

Sutthi Atchasai, a coordinator for villagers living in areas near the estate, said the red zones, which urgently require stricter enforcement of environmental measures and toxic-control solutions, are Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Asia Industrial Estate, Hemaraj Industrial Estate, and RIL Industrial Estate. Meanwhile, Tambon Thab Ma and Tambon Ban Kha are the second priority areas for environmental recovery.

Map Ta Phut and other industrial areas on the Eastern Seaboard are home to petrochemical, chemical, steel, power generation, and other heavy industries, which have brought investment of tens of billions of baht over the past few decades.

The Rayong Administrative Court on March declared the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate and its environs in this eastern province a pollution-control area, requiring stricter enforcement of environmental measures and toxic-control solutions.

The ruling covers the entire Map Ta Phut municipality, including tambons Thab Ma, Nern Phra and Map Kha in Muang district. and all of Ban Chang district.

The judges said they were convinced by several official reports citing excessive toxic leaks and wastes in wastewater and wastes produced by factories in the estate and detected in surrounding areas - including 20 types of extremely cancerous toxic fumes.

A health study also found that the incidence of cancers and leukemia among the villagers was five times higher than the national rate. Another study showed that residents were also experiencing genetic defects.

Another report on industrial wastes released two years ago discovered that heavy metals in the areas were accumulating beyond safe levels.

However, Suthi also expressed concern over social problems that could be caused by the expansion of industrial estates, such as the expanding of slum areas, and the cultural diversity of people who come from different provinces, including migrant workers, to work at Map Ta Phut.

"These problems might cause a lot of crime in Map Ta Phut if there is not good management," he said.

He said his group would soon decide whether to file civil and criminal lawsuits against members of the National Environment Board for asking for compensation.

Meanwhile, 53-year-old banana gardener Sanga Sukrung said he wants the government to revise the expanding of Ban Chang's Asia Industrial zone, in which he said factories have encroached on his banana garden and released wastewater onto his land, destroying all banana production in his garden.

"They [industrial estate officials] said they will establish a buffer zone between village areas and industrial zones of 500 metres, but when they fenced the barrier to mark the industrial boundary there were no trees planted in the buffer zone," he said.

The plan to expand Asia Industrial zone from 2,500 rai to 3,200 rai was approved by the former deputy prime minister and industry minister, Kosit Panpiemras, who was also the chairman of the NEB.

Previously, this area was designated as an agricultural and residential zone. Until 2006, it has been declared an industrial zone, but manufacturers are not allowed to use raw materials produced from petroleum oil or natural gas.

A year after the announcement of the plan, the Asia Industrial Estate tried several times to ask the government to revise the declaration.

It said that many foreign and local investors, who wanted to invest into the petrochemical industry, could not run their businesses as the announcement had become an obstacle for them.

Moreover, they said, the petrochemical industry did not have environmental impacts.

Asia Industrial Estate's move to revise the declaration was opposed by 7,209 Ban Chang villagers.

They submitted their petition to the subcommittee on the city plan, but the sub committee withdrew this petition and said the committee wanted to support the government's policy to develop industries - including the petrochemical industry - on the eastern seaboard.